25 Signs You’re a 21st Century Catechist

Are catechists becoming 21st Century faith leaders?  Let’s explore how this could happen!  PLUS, if you have a sign to share….you may win!   Keep reading to find out how…

Here are 25 signs that you are a 21st Century Catechist:

1. You have taught your students how to find excellent Catholic resources that are now available on the Internet.
2. You require your students to use a variety of Internet sources when they are creating PowerPoint research projects.
3. You use a blog to communicate with your students and parents.
4. You use a blog to engage your students in the study of their faith.  For example – Finding God-Week One.
5. You use a discussion tool like Collaborize Classroom to engage your students in online faith sharing with one another.
6. Your use of SKYPE in the classroom allows your students to meet and speak with Catholic leaders who reside in different parts of the country.
7. Your students work on collaborative projects with students in other countries – like the Global Church Project (See pgs. 10-11) with students in Australia.
8. Your students participate in class by tweeting their questions and comments using the #hashtag option.
9. You have taught your students how to create a 30-second video prayer reflection using Animoto.
10. You promote digital etiquette with your students helping them navigate and stay safe in their media world.
11. You notice that many students come to class with their cell and smartphones and work with your pastor and administrators in paving the way to use these tools in your catechetical lessons.
12. You have explained to your parents how a cell phone will be used in your classroom and have a permission form for parents to approve of this use in the classroom.
13. You have engaged your students in creating an agreement that covers safety, etiquette, responsibility, and opportunity (e.g., If this project goes well, students may suggest future cell phone assignments.)
14. Your students have interviewed members of your parish who have been involved in major parish historical events (e.g., the founding of the parish, welcoming the bishop during his parish visit, and other important parish events).  They have posted these interviews to a blog.
15. You provide an Oral Quiz for your grades 6 to 8 or 9 to 12 students using YouMail and their cell phone.
16. Your students have researched local faith landmarks (churches, shrines, cathedrals, historical home, statue or sculpture, etc.) and created a photoblog Web page that describes the significant features of the landmark.
17. Your students create a study guide by working together in a group wiki.
18. Your classroom budget is tight, but it doesn’t matter because there are so many free Web 2.0 resources available for your use.  (Blog example link here)
19. You are aware that many teachers are utilizing educational technology options in their everyday classrooms, you read their blogs and join online communities to learn about their best practices, and then adapt these concepts to your religion classroom.
20. You take your students on a field trip to the Holy Land in Lent and never leave your classroom.
21. You visit the Vatican with your students and don’t spend a dime.
22. You teach your students to respect one another and not to be bullies or cyberbullies.
23. You have your morning coffee while checking your RSS feed.
24. You tweet this page, blog about it, “like” it, or email it to another catechist.
25. On the 9/11 Anniversary, you have found articles like “Out of Many, One: A Community Art Project” by Muriel Stockdale and other authors.

BONUS 26. You’re a member of the Digital Catechesis Community…or have encouraged a catechist to join!

SPECIAL PRIZE: If this post receives 100 comments (within 2 weeks of post date) with additional signs of being a 21st century catechists, I will pick one person at random to receive a FREE conference registration to INTERACTIVE CONNECTIONS CONFERENCE & EXPO (January 23-26, 2012) in Orlando, FL and a runner up to receive a “Digital Footprint” t-shirt.  So comment now – your additional sign of being a 21st century catechist and PASS IT ON!

Copyright ©2011 Caroline Cerveny